[sci.space.shuttle] Shuttle status reports, May 31 & June 1

khayo@sonia.math.ucla.edu (Eric Behr) (06/02/88)

The following comes to you courtesy of the NASA SpaceLink BBS,
(205) 895 0028, Huntsville, Ala. Call for more info.
===================================================================
Tuesday May 31, 1988

SHUTTLE STATUS

        STS-26 - DISCOVERY (OV-103)  - OPF Bay 1

        Powered-up vehicle testing is underway today.  Payload
bay cleaning and orbiter close-outs continue in preparation for
rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building and mating with the
other components of the STS-26 "stack."  The nose landing gear
doors are open and technicians are finishing the fine-tuning of
adjustments of the thermal barrier.  The installation of ordnance
for landing gear deployment was completed over the weekend.  The
payload bay doors remain open and technicians are inspecting the
door hinges and associated thermal covers.  An inspection is
being conducted of the air data probe area of the vehicle.
Correction of a potential extension problem could entail the
removal and replacement of five tiles.

        STS-27 - ATLANTIS (OV-104) - OPF Bay 2

        No work was conducted over the three-day weekend.  The
vehicle is being powered up today for testing.

        STS-28 - COLUMBIA (OV-102) - OMRF

        Powered-down modification work continues today.  This
includes checks of thermal blankets to be installed in the
midbody, crew escape and electrical modifications in the forward
and aft sections of the orbiter. No work was performed over the
Memorial Day weekend.

        STS-26 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

        The mating of the left and right forward assemblies with
the solid rocket motors was completed over the weekend.  The
"corking" (or sealing) of four of the six field joints was also
completed and alignment was completed on Monday morning.  SRB
work is proceeding slightly ahead of schedule and progress may
permit mating of the External Tank/SRBs as early as June 8.

===================================================================
Wednesday, June 1, 1988

KSC Shuttle Status

        STS-26 - DISCOVERY (OV-103) - OPF Bay 1

     Powered-up vehicle testing continues today.  Preparations
are in work to close the payload bay doors today to evaluate
hinge operation during the cycling operation.  The landing gear
doors will also be closed today to check adjustments of the
thermal barriers and prepare for landing gear functional checks
later this week.  Also in work are preparations for the removal
of five thermal tiles in the vicinity of the air data probe.
Access is needed to repair a plate which could affect extension
of the air data probe.  Orbiter closeouts continue throughout the
vehicle in preparation for the move of Discovery to the Vehicle
Assembly Building later this month.

        STS-27 - ATLANTIS (OV-104) - OPF Bay 2

     Atlantis has been powered up for testing.  Underway at this
time are a number of communications checks and leak checks of the
cabin's environmental control loops.

        STS-28 - COLUMBIA (OV-102) - OMRF

     Powered-down modification work remains in progress.

        STS-26 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS

     The stacking of left and right solid booster components was
completed over the weekend with the mating of the forward
assemblies.  Final joint closeout work remains in progress.  The
current schedule calls for mating of the external tank with the
SRBs on June 8.

===================================================================
                                                       Eric